Bizarre sequence of events leads to arrest in Price

A local man is in jail after police said he broke into a Utah Highway Patrol vehicle and stole a trooper's jacket on Saturday morning.

Roy Don Robertson, 42, Price, was taken into custody by Price City Police in the parking lot of Sutherlands after he allegedly broke into a UHP vehicle and impersonated an officer.

Robertson and a friend drove into the parking lot of Sutherlands on Saturday morning and came upon a UHP vehicle, driven by UHP Trooper Jason Marshall, who was inside the store shopping at that moment. Because of the nature of their work, UHP troopers are allowed to use their vehicles for personal purposes. According to Aleck Shilaos, Price City Police chief, Robertson opened the door to the vehicle, which was left unlocked, and searched inside of the vehicle before taking Marshall's UHP winter coat. Robertson wore the coat for a few moments but later walked into Sutherlands and gave the coat to an employee of the store, telling them to "throw it away," Shilaos said.

Shortly after leaving Sutherlands, Robertson walked down the road to Wal-Mart where he entered the store and began smoking inside of the building. Wal-Mart employees asked him to leave and when he did not do as they requested, Price City Police were called out and he eventually left the premises, Shilaos said.

Robertson then returned to the parking lot of Sutherlands where he approached the UHP vehicle again, but this time Trooper Marshall had returned to the vehicle. Robertson walked over to the vehicle and told Marshall that the vehicle was his and that he needed to get out.

Local police were called out to the scene and Robertson was taken into custody without incident when an officer drew his tazer out at him.

Shilaos said police didn't know about the incident earlier at Sutherlands until Robertson was placed into custody.

Robertson was booked into the Carbon County Jail and is facing four charges including assault, theft, vehicle burglary and impersonating an officer, the chief said.